FicWad

Chapter XIII



Music: Con Te Partiro, (Time to Say Good-Bye)/ Just Show Me How to Love You



After the long and tiring events of that day, Fakir needed some time to recover, as did Freya. At this, Adelheid emerged, and said, "We must now end this story, and put things right."

The prince then said, "Mother, could we at least give these two one more day together? I think they have earned it."

Fakir and Ahiru moved in close to one another, giving that look that pleaded for a yes. Adelheid said, "Giovanni Caruso, what would you like?"

"I waited this long, I think I could go one more day. It's no problem," he said, smiling as best a bird can smile.

The couple squeezed each other, and smiled. "Then it is decided. Tomorrow night, we end this," said Siegfried.

"Meet us at the lake," said Fakir, "What do we do then?"

"Take the diamond shard and put it into the divot that it came from," she said, "Then a wish shall be made that would put things right, and this would seal off the diamond from escape forever."

"Then we chuck the thing into the lake, into the deepest part," said Fakir, "and Drosselmyer shall never come back again to haunt us."

Uzzura started to think, and began to realize what the grown-ups were talking about, started to tear up, and then she wrapped her arms around Ahiru's leg, saying, "Don't go away again-zura!"

She bent down and hugged her, and said,"Honey, it's for the best. I am a bird, and Joe is a boy. That's the way it's supposed to be. It's not fair to him."

"I like the red-haired girl-zura," Uzzura protested.

"But I'm not going away," said Ahiru,"I'll just look...well...different."

"You mean Duck is still duck-zura?" said Uzzura.

"The real me is in here," said Ahiru, pointing to her heart.

"Is the real me in here?" asked Uzzura, pointing to her own.

"It sure is little one!" she said.

It was then that Uzzura heard a familiar voice, and said, "Don't cry, Uzzura, when the time comes, just follow your heart."

She knew that voice well. That voice always helped her to understand the world a whole lot better, and showed her that she had a heart, and freewill. She then stepped back and said, "Don't worry, ducky, I'll follow my heart-zura!"

"Now that's what I wanted to hear," said Ahiru, smiling.



At sunrise the next day, Fakir had her awoken so that they could spend the most time possible together. Siegfried gave him use of one of the royal limousine, and so they were off. They went to breakfast au fresco, and started sharing special stories. They reminisced of times before the original story, she shared of funny things that happened to her as a duck before they met, remembered funny stories from school, after the first story, during that school year, and got closer to each other with every passing minute. They went to the state museum together, toured the old country and Fakir asked her, for the first time, what her childhood had been like, and what she remembered. She said that she would tell him of that when they got to the lake near the smith shop. She said for him to save some time for that. They took lunch, and had a quiet carriage ride around that city. As they made their way along, they came across a renaissance fair. They stopped in, and Fakir bought them two outfits befitting that fair. They really began to get into the role-play, and Fakir even showed his stuff. There was a place where a person could fence an expert in the weapons of that time, and Fakir jumped at the chance. He was suited up, and proved a match for the man there. He fought with a skill and expertise befitting a knight, and won. Once that was done, music struck up, and some of the dancers there started to perform some period dances. Of course, Fakir and Ahiru could not resist the urge to dance, and put together quite the pas de deux, as if they knew that this just might be the last chance they would ever be able to do this. Soon, it was late, and they had to go. They stopped off to get something to eat, and headed to the lake, still in the costumes that Fakir had bought. They then headed to the lake, but Ahiru walked him to a spot to the other side of the lake. "You asked me earlier about where I was born," she said, and took him to a hidden grove that was well sheltered. She pointed and said, "I was hatched and brooded right here. This is where I spent time as a chick, playing in the water, and mother taught me all I needed to know as a duck. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine my life heading this direction."

They started to walk around to the dock where they would be meeting the others, and Fakir said, "You know, deep down inside, I have been preparing myself for this, and yet, there is still that pang. Yet, you seem so cool about it, talking about your time as a bird as casually as you talk about being a girl, or Tutu. How do you do it?"

She thought for a moment, and said, "You know, love, I am so glad we had this day. Before, I had to go back so abruptly, and I had no chance to tell you how I felt. I have it now. During this time as a girl, I have learned so much about myself, and I have learned to love myself so much more than before, now that I realize that the real me lies deep inside. The outward is really vanity, because we don't fall in love with outer looks. It helps, but it is this, (pointing to his heart,) and this, (pointing to his head,) with which we really fall in love."

"You sound just like Tutu," he said.

"And why not, love," she said, "she is as much me as the duck, and what you see. Yet, no matter what, all three are just the shell that contains who I am. Drosselmyer thought that he was just letting me borrow Tutu, but in reality, I becameTutu-I am Princess Tutu, and that will never change. It's not the duck you love, it's I, and that will never change either. I know that it will not. Yet, the best thing of all about this is the way that I see things now. I once thought that, if I could not be a girl, I could never truly return my love to you in the way you had shown it to me. I was so silly. I now realize that I have all along and I never realized it. Now Iknow that I can, because love is something more than the superficial. Even as a duck, as much as you are there for me, I will there for you, doing all that I can for you, because, even as aduck, I am strong. There is nothing that I cannot do if I try. It's going to be okay."

"Should we then continue to hope?" he asked.

"Never give up hope," she said, "but no matter what happens to me, let's just cherish the time we have together, and know that none can ever take that away from us."

By this point, they were standing on the dock where they knew that they would be spending the majority of their time, watching the sunset, saying nothing further, and they just held each other.



Just as the last rays of orange were in the sky, the prince, Rue, Freya, and Joe arrived. Siegfried had gone to the park to dig up the diamond in the rough, and they prepared to end the story. Princess Adelheid emerged once again from the diamond shard as Ahiru produced it, and Ahiru set it in the divot. Uzzura asked Rue what was going on, and she said, "She is going to make a wish to make things right, and everything will go back to normal. The story will end, and we can all get on with our lives."

Uzzura watched with amazement and wonder, and asked, "You make a wish, and it fixes everything-zura?"

"That's right," said Freya.

She walked over with Joe on her hand, and they prepared. Ahiru walked over to Fakir and said, "Well, this is it baby. I'll be a duck, and we can get on with things."

However, no matter how strong the two of them had been, tears were still starting to well up. They embraced, realizing that this would be abit harder than they had thought. "Good-bye,"she said, "and Hello, I guess," as she kissed him one more time passionately. All the girls were in tears now, because they knew that this just had to be tearing the two of them apart. The couple parted, Ahiru took abig sigh, spun around, and said, "Fakir, if you find this hard to watch, you do not have to."

"I must," he said, "Its only right."

She did not look at him, but went to the diamond in the rough. With tears streaming down her face, she reached out and prepared to touch the shard and make the wish. As all the farewells were taking place, however, Joe saw the bravery and sadness, and he looked at himself. He looked at Freya, and thought of how things would be. He looked at Freya and said, "Baby, this is killing me!"

Somehow, she already sensed where Joe was going, and she said, "Joey, you aren't considering..."

"Baby," he said, "Everyone is making assumptions here. Everyone thinks that Iwant to be a boy again, and, well, yes, that's true...but not if it costs them this!"

"Honey," she said, looking at him in horror, "what about us?"

"It won't be as bad for us as it would be for them," he said, "Because, we can still talk, be together, and such. Didn't she say that the real person is in here? Besides, if they can have hope that it could be different, why can't we. I am willing to make this sacrifice if you are."

She wanted to protest further, but she then realized just how selfish she would be if she did. Furthermore, if she let that get in-between her and him, how shallow would she be? She then just nodded, and Joe said, "Stop!"

They all looked at him, and said, "I cannot let you do this. You two need to be like this. I could not live with myself if I let you do this."

"But Joe," said Ahiru, "I thought..."

"I know what I said," he said, "But I've kinda gotten used to this. You were such a good teacher in showing me how to be a bird, is easy now. I can take it. Life can be good this way."

At this, he flew to her hand and extended his wing, preparing to make the wish himself. Adelheid looked at him, but not crossly. It was more as if she were pleased with what she was seeing, and she said, "Is that what you truly want?"

"You said a wish to put things right needed to be made, right?" he asked.

"That is correct," she answered.

"Believe me," he said, "this would be making things right," and he prepared to make the wish.

While all that was going on, Uzzura was confused. No one had wished yet, and she wondered what the problem was. She asked Rue, "What's going on-zura?"

"They are discussing how this should be done," answered Rue.

"I don't understand-zura," she said.

"Duck wants to make the wish," said Rue,"but Joe says he is willing to be a bird, because he thinks that's how things would be put right."

"They have to wish to make things right-zura?" she asked.

"That's it, little one," said Rue.

"Either can make the wish?" she asked.

"It looks like it," answered Rue.

Uzzura thought for a moment, and she then heard that voice again-the voice of Edel-and she said, "Follow your heart. What do you think would make things right?"

Uzzura thought for a moment, and figured that, if they could wish, so could she. While they were discussing, Uzzura jumped up on the dock pillar next to the diamond and slipped her hand underneath Joe's wing, as she screamed, "I just want everyone to be happy and not to cry anymore-zura!" and slapped the diamond shard. Everyone was shocked as they saw this. There was a split second where everyone wanted to stop her, but it was too late. The diamond began to glow, and then the glow began to fill the area, and then to cover the entirety of Goldkronesburg. When the glowing had stopped, the diamond was all in one piece again, at least to the eye. When it stopped, all were amazed at the sight. Joe was again himself, and he began to jump around happy, saying, "I'm back! I'm me again! I'm free...I'm naked!"

He then tried to cover up in vain, as everyone laughed, and Fakir gave him his cloak. The next amazing sight was Ahiru. She was still a girl, except now she had a pretty red pendant around her neck. Next, they all saw Princess Adelheid, but now she looked like a six-foot tall astral swan. Finally, (and this was the most amazing sight,) there stood Uzzura, still wearing the same clothes, but instead of adoll, she was a real, live girl! "I'm all pink-zura!"

No one knew what to say, and then Siegfried finally said, "Mother, what happened?"

"Worry not, my son," she said, "for there is no justice like the justice conjured in the mind of a small child. The diamond must have seen this, and knew that her point of view was the best way to put things right."

"Yet, look at you!" he said, a bit distressed. She waived it off, and said,"My darling son, worry not. At this stage of existence, outer looks matter little. The diamond knew this, took the essence of the bird that Duck had given to Joe, and put it onto me, knowing that it would do no harm. Truly, this is the best way that all of you now can write your own stories. Oh, and by the way, Duck, the diamond determined something else for you. Look at your neck."

She knew that pendant, and she said, "I don't understand any of this. I was willing to go back, and I was ready."

"The reason why you stayed a girl is simple. Your noble heart had much to do with things. By your time as a girl in this story, you learned how not to be selfish and vain. You learned that true beauty lies within and that this is one of the greatest sources of love that there is. It makes you love all people regardless of who they are. Because you were ready to face the world this way, even if you were willing to accept the bare minimums of what you deserved, there is a certain law under which you fall-the law of sowing and reaping. The seeds you have sown all this time were so good that only being allowed a part of the harvest would not be right. Because your were noble enough to accept the minimum of what you deserved, you are now being rewarded with greater than that with which you were willing to settle. This has always been the great lesson of many fairy tales, which is something Drosselmyer forgot, and something that you now are experiencing. Because of that noble heart, the diamond also determined something else. Inside that pendant is a small sliver of itself, not enough ever to allow those six inside it to escape, but just enough, containing my essence, to allow you to be Princess Tutu whenever the need exists. There is no need for the greatest heroine in the history of the principality to cease existing. As for you, Fakir, remember what you have learned about stories, and the mischief of Drosselmyer you seek to correct. Remember always reward the most noble and giving hearts with that which they deserve, not the minimums they settle for, for this is one of the greatest laws of the universe. Now, I think it is time to take care of that diamond and end the story."

As Ahiru's head was swimming with joy, he took the diamond in the rough out of her hands, and said, "No more shall you torment another soul. Here is the reaping of the seeds you six have sown."

With that, he flung it as hard as he could into what he knew was the deepest part of the lake. No one but they would know it was there, and before long, the algae would cover it to the point where it would never be found again. Adelheid began to glow, and said, "Now it is time for me to go to greater things, children. My son, wear the crown well and always remember to love all, and rule well and justly. Love Rue deeply, and raise your children to be as you, and greater. Fare thee well, children, fare thee well..."and she faded away.

Ahiru and Fakir nearly tackled each other as they embraced and kissed, and that inspired the other two couples to do the same. Uzzura was beating her drum, screaming; "Now that's lovey-dovey-zura!"



Epilogue



Music: The Wedding Song, (There is Love)



Inside the diamond, all they knew was the cramped area inside which they were trapped. They could not get free, and worse, they were trapped and forgotten at the bottom of a deep lake. The five warlocks were enraged that they had this fate, and it was worse now. Now, they had no hope for freedom, and they realized that, if it had not been for the meddling of Drosselmyer, they would have been better off. Drosselmyer was as captive as they were, and they were now screaming for his blood. They used all their powers to torment them as much as they could, for this was the only satisfaction that they would ever had. Drosselmyer tried to avoid them as much as he could, but he never could be free, for, to where could he run? Drosselmyer now had all eternity to ponder just what it was that he loved so much in tragedy.



Because of the wish, no one in school even remembered the duck, and Ahiru's royal status was made official by the prince, in that, if anything ever happened to he and Rue before they were to have offspring, she and Fakir could fill the hole-the only two people to whom he could entrust the throne. Before long, Ahiru was on point, and in the advanced class-something she had at one time figured would never happen. Uzzura came under the care of Rue and Siegfried, as if she was their own daughter, and she became a ward of the state. She was even endowed with a royal title-Lady Uzzura-and they would enroll her in the academy for drums and percussion when she was old enough. Then it became time for the wedding. Of course, Fakir and Ahiru were best man and maid of honor, and Joe's band played the reception. Indeed, some of the music set some of the nobility off, but what could they say. The prince liked them, and that was that! However, the first couple enjoyed their first dance as Joe sang "She's Always a Woman to Me," and then he gave the toast. What was more touching, (and what won over the nobility at the wedding,) was how he capped off the toast. He sang a song which was written by Noel Paul Stookie, (of Peter, Paul, and Mary,) for his good friend Peter Yyovonne and his wedding called "The Wedding Song," or "There is Love," which Peter immediately put in public domain. His reasoning was that the song was a gift, and he did not want to make profit from it. Joe picked up a 12-string acoustic, and sang about the joining of two hearts, and God being in the midst of that. He sang how life is drawn from the man by the woman, and then returned in kind. He asked the question why people join in marriage, and if it was love that was responsible, or was it love that gave life. He then asked, if love is the reason, then who was the giving for, and if people had the ability to believe something they had never seen. In all of that, there is love. Not only did Siegfried and Rue enjoy it, but Fakir and Ahiru now felt closer than they ever had before, which explained the interesting thing that everyone but Rue and Siegfried saw at the wedding ceremony. As the couple was taking their vows, Fakir and Ahiru stood close and held hands behind the couple. People wondered if they were going to be the next two to join in the life vow.



However, the one thing that really caught the attention of the principality was the rumored sightings of a strange princess ballerina that saves lives and who dances to guide the hearts of all she helps. Some say that it was Princess Tutu, and others questioned that, wondering how a storybook character could have come to life. However, the sightings were frequent enough, and the stories persistent enough, that all the young people in the realm knew that, if you truly needed help and guidance, all you had to do is wish real hard, seek inside yourself, and she would be there and dance to guide your heart.